VA Sail250, Harborfest 50 and SPARTINA 20 Birthday

 20 Jun 26:

We checked out Waterside Norfolk today, the tall ships are in town for VA Sail 250 and Harborfest 50. It's amazing to see how many sail training programs are still out there with State sponsored vessels serving as the classroom. 

We went over hoping to get a glimpse of a few international boats but the star of the show is SPARTINA, Steve's Welsford Pathfinder, who turns 20 this year. So in reality we attended the SPARTINA 20.

Here's SPARTINA tucked behind VIRGINIA after Steve tied her up.

Steve and SPARTINA of course were sailing, whole everyone else was sleeping at their docks.

We couldn't go on the ships because Skipper had her brass knuckles...next she said sh'e bring her bronze knucles...

There's still time to sail up or jump on Amtrak, the Fest runs through Monday.

Getting ST. JACQUES Ready for the Maritime Rendezvous

12 Jun 26:

We hoisted ST. JACQUE off his trailer to put the boat on a dolly, in prep for his visit to the Smithfield Maritime Rendezvous.

Checking the lights.

Always check the pawl.

On the dolly, on the trailer, ready to roll

Log of ST. JACQUES

The Sunfish Owners Manual by Skipper & Clark

 08 Jun 26:

Sunfish sailboats have been around since 1953 and we have been Sunfishing and restoring the Sunfish since the 1980s.  With close to 500,000 Sunfish built we wondered why there was not an Owners Manual?

So we put together The Sunfish Owners Manual with help from family and friends. The Sunfish Owner's Manual is a one stop resource for the world's most popular sailboat. Inside there are chapters on the History of the Sunfish, and illustrated chapters on how to Buy, Rig, Sail, Maintain, Restore, Store, Transport and Sell the Sunfish. 

The Restore Chapter includes Do It Yourself pictures and step by step details on how to conduct common repairs, including foam replacements and rudder conversions. 

The Manual has an extensive Illustrated Glossary of Sunfish and sailing terms, with 230 photos by the author, taken in the course of numerous Sunfish restorations, for both wooden and fiberglass Sunfish as well as Sailfish. 

The Manual is not only a one stop reference for any Sunfish owner, it would be of interest to owners of other small sailboats as well. 

Brought to you by Small Boat Restoration!

The Sunfish Owners Manual by Kent & Audrey Lewis

Parrel Beads

 07 Jun 26:

Made some parrel beads to hopefully tame the lug rig yard on the Nutshell Pram.

Happenin's Around Skipper's Boatyard

 06 Jun 26:

Five years ago today we rolled into our Virginia place after an 16 hour adventure in SUPER POKEY.  The RV was not a bad way to move, we were in the middle of pandemic and considering we needed to move our pet fish. And the UHaul trailer actually stabilized the ride, dampening sway on our lightly loaded RV. 

Repairing hurricane rash today.

Sanding the grooves.

The green blob is TotalFair fairing compound, we sanded with 80  grit to knock down the big chunks.

Bath time.

Filthy dirt and grime.

7 boats in this photo. Shaping the gunwales on the Bahamas Dinghy.

Webb, Doug and Murray hard at work.

Added a halyard block.

Watering the gunwales to help them take shape.